A Wife for the Billionaire
Chapter 20: RICHARD

Chapter 20: RICHARD

"Qualifications and recommendations aside, what makes you think you are worthy of being a Wellington staff?" I asked Taylor Ray.

She was a part of the sixth set and her partner didn’t do so well on the Wellington questions.

Just as all sets after Prideful Gail. None of them advanced to the second round, it’s either they don’t get the core values or they fumble in the guiding principles.

Taylor, the brown haired lady in her late thirties, dressed impeccably in a white dress shirt and a dark blue pleated skirt, took time to think about my question, perhaps too long. And I fear that was a strike. I frown upon things like that.

What answer could she possibly be

thinking that would warrant silence for

over five minutes now?

Eventually she spoke just as the last straw of my patience bent to split,

"Sir, the answer to your question is not a matter of what or why, but a matter of who and I believe I’m Worthy of being that ’who’ "

Imagine. All that time and that’s what she came up with.

"I see. Just to be clear, you simply believe that you are worthy of being a Wellington staff, qualifications and recommendations aside?"

"Yes. I believe so" she answered with confidence.

Quoting the same words I had said to Justin after the Gail incident,

"That will be all, we have your info if there’s any need to contact you. Have yourself a nice day"

"That’s it?" Taylor asked, the surprise clear in her voice.

"I believe so. Vera, a moment"

Taylor dragged her leave, taking time to gather her things before exiting the door. She had kept stealing glances at me even when she reached the door, as if she expected to be called back. Once again, I was glad that I didn’t hire her, a snail like her could never be worthy of being a Wellington staff, no matter how firm her belief.

"Vera, before you call the next pair, help me check if a certain Sofia, yes a Sofia Blake. Check if she’s still here"

"Might I ask why?" Vera asked.

"Do I note a questioning of my order?" I asked with quiet rage.

"So sorry Sir, I forgot myself"

"Just see to it, I’ll deal with you later"

With something close to a bow, she excused herself.

If Sofia was still here, this would be worth it. I plan to save her for last.

Twenty seconds later, Vera came in.

"Sir, she’s still here, should I call her next?"

"No, save her for last" I dismissed.

She was ballsy. I would give her that. Staying even with the knowledge that the same person she had challenged was in charge of the interview. What exactly was she hoping to gain? Surely she can’t be stupid enough to think that there’s a slight chance of her getting the job, not after running her mouth. Unless she was preparing for an apology, which I will certainly accept, after I make her grovel.

I will take my time dealing with her. I will savor every moment I make her realize that she made the worst mistake of her life challenging me. I will make sure she leaves with a tail between her legs and the lesson of being weary of whom she insults itched in her mind.

I was still devising ways to make her feel all these when the next pair walked in.

"Sandra Gates and Donna Jones" Vera had called from the hallway.

I watched the two women take their seats. Sandra Gates’ dark hair was tied into a bun, and she looked clerk worthy in her dark blue suit. Donna Jones was black, with short wavy hair and she also looked immaculate in her brown suit.

Eager to see how Sofia would grovel before me I went right to it, concisely I explained the need for the questions and threw them.

They exchanged glances after I finished. A look that clearly said,

"What the fuck? Which type of job interview for the position of a clerk nonetheless warrants such a line of questions?"

After submitting their journals, I just had to let them go. Donna got three questions right while Sandra got two.

The eighth set was a guy by the name, Cole Trail and a lady named Felicia Rum.

Cole was blond, but his were dark as if

highlighted by brown, he wore brown

pants and a chocolate colored shirt, his blue eyes kept darting around. He was nervous, I realized.

Felicia on the other hand, had auburn hair, short and wavy like that of a baby and a face marked with freckles.

I did the explanation, asked the questions and waited.

I realized by watching them, Cole was really a shy lot, he could barely meet my gaze and he kept his head down as he wrote. His right leg was tapping furiously at the floor, I saw him try to stop it and failed.

Felicia didn’t even attempt at the questions 4 and 5. I had changed question 5, from guiding principles I asked,

"What brands and subsidiaries fall

under the Wellington Fashion Empire

umbrella?"

Bidding her adieu, I faced Cole who had gotten every question correctly. His gaze remained downwards, specifically on his shoes.

"Cole, look up," I said.

"Um sorry Sir, I’m just really nervous" he said, daring to meet my eyes for the first time.

"There’s no need to be, just answer this question correctly and you may have secured the job"

"Actually Sir, is there a way to um... like root for another. Don’t get me wrong, I want this job, but there’s another who needs it" he said between scratching his head and fighting his leg to stop vibrating.

"Who exactly is this another, if I may ask?"

"Thank you Sir, her name is Sofia Blake. She’s qualified and getting this job will be a dream come true for her_"

"Did she put you up to this?" I asked, getting angry.

Sofia could do something like that, I might not know her, but she’s the kind of person who will charm a guy with her looks and have him pleading on her behalf.

"No! No Sir, she didn’t put me up to this in fact she doesn’t even know that I’m doing this" he answered in a rush of words.

"So why are you doing it?"

"Ermm... I... um, I spent some time with her in the boardroom and I can say that she’s the kindest person I’ve ever met, she’s also smart and funny and simply amazing" he said dreamily.

Fuck’s sake, the guy was already falling for this lady. If he hadn’t fallen completely.

What was it about this Sofia that tranced him into falling for someone so sharp-mouthed, to the extent of pleading on her behalf when it hasn’t even been 1 hour after they met?

I will get my answer, but for now I need to be done with this guy.

"I’ve heard you and I will keep all these in mind, but answer this question first. Before you met this Sofia and decided to forgo your shot at this job for her sake, why were you here? Like without your qualifications and recommendations, why did you think you had a shot at it?"

He leaned back, his hand massaging his jawline as he thought of an answer.

"To be honest, there are things I’m not good at, like I suck at communicating with people. But I’m good at organizing, filing, analyzing and basically everything a clerk does, not to mention that I’m fast as hell and accurate too. I’m not bragging, but I really am and one of the reasons why I came for this job is to take a chance in working on my communication skills. I may not be perfect, but I’m efficient and I know I can do this." he said surprisingly not rushing this time.

It took restraint for me not to clap for him. His answer was not just original, but sincere too. It was exactly what I had been waiting to hear. I didn’t need prideful answers, I just needed an honest and sincere one. And Cole Trail just gave it to me.

Smiling, I asked, "Are you really as fast and accurate as you say you are?"

"How about a test Sir?" he said with confidence.

Handing him my laptop, I said,

"I’m going to dictate a few statements fast. You are to type them out, how does that sound?"

"I’m ready, Sir"

"Alright, here they come..."

I read a speech I remember saying during my inauguration. I had written the words myself and I’m yet to forget even a single word from the pile.

To my utmost surprise, Cole hit the space button as soon as I stopped speaking. I stared in shock as I watched the words I said, typed meticulously, every punctuation in place and not a single error.

He really wasn’t playing when he said he was fast and accurate. I don’t know about the remaining applicants, but I think I’ve found my clerk.

"Wow, you really weren’t kidding" I said genuinely impressed, a rare occurrence.

"I started typing at the age of 7. My pops was a writer and he usually worked on his books at home. I always loved watching him type, there were nights that the sound of his hands clicking on the keys were lullabies soothing me to sleep. So one day when I was 7, my dad left his handwritten manuscript and his computer on before dashing out of the house. That day, I started typing without being taught and have been at it since"

I got the impression that he had wanted to say more, but had decided to cut it short on my account. This was someone who knew his superior, someone who will work and never for once cause an issue. Because he was humble and surprisingly good.

"I’m truly impressed, Mr Cole and I must tell you, that’s rare. Do me a favor, just go back to the boardroom and wait for further instructions"

"But Sir, I really wasn’t trying to get the job or anything, I still believe Sofia would be a better fit, at least she can communicate effectively and she has this thing where she can set even the most anxious and nervous person at ease" he said as he rose.

I found it hard to believe that the same girl I met in the elevator could be any of these things he was saying, but I guess I was just three persons away from finding out.